Mumbai Man Sentenced for Molesting Minor

A special POCSO court in Mumbai has sentenced a 19-year-old man to two years of rigorous imprisonment for holding the hand of a minor girl and saying 'I love you'.

The court, presided over by Judge Ashwini Lokhande, ruled that the accused's actions outraged the modesty of the 14-year-old victim. While the accused was found guilty of molestation under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), he was acquitted of charges under the POCSO Act.

The incident was reported in September 2019 when the girl's mother lodged a complaint at Sakinaka police station. According to the complaint, the girl was returning home after buying tea dust when the accused approached her, held her hand, and confessed his love.

Throughout the trial, the young man maintained his innocence, claiming he was in a relationship with the victim and that she had called him to meet on the day of the incident. However, the court did not find this defense credible. Judge Lokhande noted that if there had been an affair, the victim would likely not have reported the incident to her mother.

The victim's and her mother's testimonies were consistent and corroborated, leading the court to conclude that the evidence against the accused was solid. The court also noted that the accused had threatened the girl's mother when she confronted him.

(With inputs from agencies.)